sweet little bumblebee!!

daily-ish beasts. he/him. biology major and etymology enthusiast.

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beast #9

Limpkin - Aramus guarauna

A relatively uncommon--or at least unusual--wading bird found in the Americas, recognized by its major prey the apple snail as well as their strange, banshee-like calls they produce at night. They are the only extant species in family Aramidae. Their common name comes from their stumbling or limping walk style.

Their genus name, 'Aramus', likely comes from Ancient Greek 'áramos', meaning heron--note that herons belong to family Ardeidae and class Pelecaniformes, unlike the limpkin. Genetics has changed our understanding of biology beyond simple appearance.

'Guarauna', meanwhile, is more obscure in what it means. It seems to be an alteration to Tupi 'guirá', which just means bird.

Image by Dave Clark.

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beast #8

Green Darner Dragonfly - Anax junius

An abundant and wonderfully colored dragonfly in North America, though it is found in China, France, and other countries. The green darner gets its common name from their resemblance to darning needles, which are short and thick needles for sewing or embroidery.

Their genus Anax comes from ancient Greek 'anax', meaning ruler or king--many dragonflies in this genus are large, and among them is also the 'emperor dragonfly' (A. imperator).

Their species name junius comes from the Roman month... well, 'Junius', which is now June in the modern calendar. Green darners are supposedly very active during June.

Image from Arizona Dragonflies.

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beast #7

Green June Beetle - Cotinis nitida

These beetles get their common name from their highest activity period: the month of June. They eat many types of fruits, but adults appear to prefer rotting or damaged fruits the most. Their genus name comes from Greek 'kótinos', meaning 'wild olive tree', referring to their deep olive color. The species name comes from Latin 'nitidus' and the derived Italian 'nitido', meaning clear, sleek, shiny, or handsome. And look at them shine!

Image by Leslie Durham.

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beast #6

Zebra Finch - Taeniopygia castanotis

These finches are sometimes kept as pets, with a common nickname being 'zeebies'. They are part of a very small genus with only one other species, T. guttata. Taeniopygia comes from Greek 'tainia' and 'pugos', meaning 'band-rumped'--though not pictured above, zebra finches have striped tail feathers. Castanotis, meanwhile, is a combination of Greek 'kastanon' and 'otis', together meaning 'chestnut eared', likely referring to their bright orange ear regions.

Image by Harris Hui.

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beast #5

Cane Toad - Rhinella marina

Despite their species name, these toads are largely terrestrial. Their genus name, Rhinella, comes Greek 'rhino' and Latin 'ella', ultimately combining to mean 'little nose'. Additionally, their common name comes from the fact that they were used in many countries to control pests around sugarcane, but their voracious appetite and poison glands have made them a formidable invasive species.

Image by Charles Sharp.

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beast #4

Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata

A familiar sight for its bright colors, these guys are in the family Corvidae and are found throughout North America. Their genus name comes from the Greek words 'kyaneos' and 'kitta', which mean 'blue' and 'chattering bird' respectively--'kyaneos' is also where we get the word 'cyan'. 'Cristata', meanwhile, has a Latin origin in 'crista', which means crest or tuft. An additional fun fact is, unlike many bird species, blue jays do not have very strong sexual dimorphism.

Image by Scott Martin.

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beast #3

Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede / Amazonian giant centipede - Scolopendra gigantea

This centipede--the largest known species of all centipedes at more than 12 inches / 30 centimeters in length--is found naturally in South America, though they are occasionally kept as pets. The genera, family, and order name's root, Scolopendra, comes from a mythic sea creature that resembles a land centipede and can dislodge fish hooks by vomiting. Very strange.

Image by [email protected]

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beast #2

Saint Bernard Dog, Canis lupus familiaris

Their name comes from the Great St. Bernard Pass, a high road between Switzerland and Italy, and its associated hospice building. They were initially bred there for search-and-rescue operations around the pass. Nowadays, the larger size and weight of modern St. Bernards has phased them out of rescue jobs.

Photo from Callalloo Candcy.

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beast #1

Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major

Despite their appearance--being commonly mistaken for crows--the boat-tailed grackle is not part of the Corvidae. Instead, they are of the family Icteridae, which are also called New World blackbirds. Both the Corvidae and Icteridae are passerines (order Passeriformes).

Image by Marie Hosch.